Probable Impossibility
by SleepyGoof07
Summary: A woman from Colby's past comes back and now he must deal with the consequences. Can they both deal with decisions made years ago? A ColbyOFC fic.
1. The Return

**A/N**- This is my first attempt at Numb3rs fiction. I don't own anything, but oh how I wish I did, wouldn't it be awsome to have your own little Charlie or Don? Right, back to the point, I am just doing this for fun. Also this is unbetaed, so all mistakes belong to me, please be gentel, I am a sleep deprived college student. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

* * *

"Tell me again why we are doing this?" Colby Granger asked his partner David Sinclair as the two exited David's car and approached the elementary school playground.

David laughed at the question and shook his head, "because Charlie narrowed down the radius, and this is the one of two schools in the area. Don just wants us to chat with the parents, see if they have seen anything suspicious."

"Yeah, yeah, lets just get it done. This is a waste of time, its not going to help us catch this bastard." Colby was moody. It had been several long days with no sleep, trying to catch the child predator who was kidnapping children from schools and then killing them after he had tortured them first. They were so close to finding him and Don had them out here wasting time with parents.

"Watch your language man, there are kids present." David said as he pointed to the playground full of children who were close to being dismissed. "How about we start with that one over there?" David suggested as he pointed at an attractive young woman.

"You just think she is hot." Colby said with a smirk, but followed as David approached her.

"Excuse me ma'am." David spoke as he approached her. She glanced at him, nodded and then turned back to watching the play ground, he continued talking. "I'm Special Agent David Sinclair with the FBI. We're working an investigation, regarding the abduction of children from local schools. Do you mind if we ask you a few questions?"

"Sure, I suppose. But we are new to town so I don't know if I will be much help." The young woman responded, and finally turned to look at the two men who were standing with her.

The voice pulled Colby's attention back to the woman in front of him. He had been watching the whole area, not really looking at her. But that voice, it was familiar, a little too familiar. When he turned to look squarely at the woman, he could hardly believe his eyes. He knew he was staring but he couldn't help it, she hadn't changed a bit. The 5'5'' petite red head still astounded him. Wearing a simple black skirt and a blue short-sleeved satin blouse, she looked more chic than he remembered her being. Suddenly the past flashed before his eyes. He was back in Winchester, Idaho sitting on the tailgate of his dad's truck snaking his fingers into that red hair as he kissed her for the first time. He was back in college, holding her in his arms, that red hair skimming his arms as they cuddled after making love for the first time. And with that the memories of all their firsts came flooding back, overwhelming him as he spoke, "Sam?"

She stared at him in disbelief as she heard his voice, thrown off by the softness that it held. She had barely even noticed him standing next to the kind black man. But when she heard her name on his lips it was like falling into an old dream. "Colby." It was so soft that she was unsure she had even spoke until she felt herself being pulled into a hug.

David looked incredulously at his partner and friend as he hugged a potential witness. He was confused to say the least. But he stood, hands in his pockets, totally engrossed in the scene that was playing out before him.

"Damn, Sam, you look amazing. You haven't changed a bit in all this time." Colby said as they pulled away.

"Neither have you Colby. God, I missed you. So you are a g-man now?" She asked with a smile, and tucked a strand of her straight hair behind her ear.

"Yeah. It seemed like the natural choice after I left the army."

David noticed that the young woman tensed at the words, her grip on her car keys becoming extremely tight. He wished Megan was here, he would love to hear her dissect the relationship between the two based on their body language.

"Your mom told me about what happened in Afghanistan. I was so worried about you."

"She didn't tell me that she ran into you." Colby said with a hint of sadness. His mom was always mentioning everyone else she ran into in town, why she hadn't mentioned her was a question he would have to ask the next time he talked to her.

Sam offered him a rueful smile, "she probably didn't want to start something. After the way we left things, I can't say that I blame her. But here we are being rude, your partner said you had some questions?"

David wondered how exactly they had left things, but figured he could press Colby about it later. For now he focused on the investigation, he cleared his throat and spoke, "do you have a child in school here?"

"Yes. My daughter, this is her first week. We just got into town. I start a new job tomorrow." Sam said as she turned her head momentarily back towards the playground.

"What sort of job?" Colby asked, and was greeted with a look from David, that clearly screamed focus.

Sam laughed and then shook her head. "I am the new AUSA, I'll be replacing Robin Brooks." She looked at David and spoke directly to him, "And since CJ here has no plans on introducing us, I'm Samantha Talbot, my friends call me Sam."

David tucked the nickname CJ away for later use, knowing that he could give Colby hell about it. As he did he smiled and offered her his hand, at that moment recollection burst through his mind. Colby had once mentioned a woman named Samantha when he was drunk. She was the one that got a way, the one he had planed on marrying and then life happened derailing all his plans. With this he worried about his friend, knowing that her return was likely to mess with his mind, especially if she was married with a daughter. He wished like none other that Megan was here, she would know what to say.

Trying to stay on target, he steered the conversation back to work, "nice to meet you Sam. I am sure we will be working with you in the future. But in the week that you have been here have you or your husband noticed anyone suspicious? A man mid-thirties probably interested in very young girls, most likely to be hanging around the playground."

"She doesn't have a husband."

The three adults looked down at the little voice that had made the declaration. The little girl, about nine David guessed, was now holding her mothers hand and staring expectantly at the other men.

"Colleen, what have I told you about being rude like this?" Sam asked the girl in a frustrated voice.

The little girl didn't respond she just stared at David and then at Colby. She jerked her mothers hand very hard and pointed at Colby with the other while speaking, "mom that's…"

Her statement was interrupted as Sam placed her hand over her daughter's mouth and then smiled at the two men. "Yes honey. This is my friend Colby." She blushed and offered Colby an apologetic smile, "she likes to look at the old year books, when she saw the prom pictures she wanted to know who you were. So then I had to drag out all of the old photos." Not wanting to give him a chance to get stuck in the past she plowed on before Colby had a chance to respond. "Anyway to answer your question Agent Sinclair, I have not noticed anyone unusual. I pick Colleen up every day and it is usually just moms or babysitters who are here."

Colby nodded and offered David a look that distinctly said, I told you this was a waste of time. He was about to ask a question of his own when the little girl spoke.

"Mom, we have to go. You promised Nick we would be there by four."

"Honey, we will be. Aunt Nikki will still give you your art lesson even if we are not there exactly at 4."

Colby snickered at the statement earning him a second look of confusion and disbelief from David. Ignoring the look he spoke, "your sister is in town? She is an artist?"

Sam had to chuckle. It hadn't surprised anyone when her sister had become an artist, she had always been a free spirit. In high school, Colby had taken great delight in making fun of her stranger tendencies. "Yeah, Nick's an art professor at UCLA, she's been an amazing help since I got to town. She helped me find an apartment."

Colby nodded and noticed the look of exasperation on David's face. He knew his partner was loosing his patience because they still needed to interview the other parents, and get back to work before Don came unglued. Tensions had been high in the office due to the case. Colby placed his hand on Sam's arm and gave it a soft squeeze as he spoke, "Sam it's been great to see you, but David and I have to get back to work interviewing the other parents."

Sam nodded, she knew the case they were working, it was one that she was being brought in on to consult. Once they found the guy she would be the one filing charges, so she knew the type of stress they must be under. Slipping her hand into the hidden pocket in her skirt, she pulled out a business card. "Do you have a pen?"

David nodded and handed her the pen he kept hidden in his jacket pocket. He had to smirk a little. Leave it to Colby to walk away from an interview with a woman's digits.

Sam quickly scribbled her cell phone number on the back of the card and then handed it to Colby, speaking, "When you get done with your case give me a call, we can catch up. And CJ, get some sleep you look like hell."

Colby laughed and took the card with a nod. He felt his pulse flutter, as she leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She then thanked David for the pen and handed it back to him.

David just grinned at Colby as they two watched Sam and Colleen disappear towards their car. "Yeah CJ, you look like hell." David said with a laugh.

"Shut up, you are just jealous." Colby said with a fake bravado, as he slipped the card into his pocket. He was a little thrown, it had been a long time since he and Sam had broken up and he had left college for the army. He could hardly believe she was a mother of a nine or ten year old. The little girl was beautiful, but looked almost nothing like her mother. Blond with brown eyes and dark skin, she was a contrast to Sam's red hair, smoky gray eyes, and fair skin. She almost looked like him, a thought that he quickly dismissed. _It's been ten years since we were together, besides she would have told me if I have a daughter_. Yet the thought plagued him just a little. He was distracted while they conducted the rest of their interviews, unable to get the thoughts and memories associated with Sam Talbot out of his mind.

* * *

Megan looked up from her computer for the fifth time in about fifteen minutes. This time she openly stared at Colby Granger's back, wondering what had caused the change in him. Ever since he and David had returned from interviewing parents, he seemed off. He was morose and distracted, as she watched him dig in his desk drawer, retrieving a picture frame. He had been staring at the frame for a few minutes now.

David caught Megan staring and figured he should fill her in on what he had seen. He waited until he caught her eye, then inclined his head towards the break room. She stood, stretched and walked into the break room fixing a cup of coffee. A few minutes later David walked in and sat at the table.

"Okay, spill it. What is eating Granger?"

"When we went to interview the parents we ran into an old flame of his. She has a daughter now, just moved to town. Get this, she is replacing Robin Brooks. I think it shook him a little, she was the one who got away, you know."

Megan tried to swallow the drink of coffee quickly and gasped as the hot liquid burned down her throat, in an excited voice she said, "you mean to tell me it was Sam, _the_ Sam, that you ran into today?"

David peered at her, "how do you know about Sam?"

"Please, you are not the only one he tells things when he is drunk. So how old is the daughter?" Megan asked trying to see if there was more to the story. Seeing the love of your life again for the first time in ten years can be jarring, but she sensed there was something more than that.

"I'd say she is about nine. But here is the thing Megan. She doesn't really look like her mom. If anything I'd say she looks a hell of a lot like our boy out there."

"Shit! You are not saying that Colby is the father?"

"Colby is a father?" Don asked somewhat surprised as he entered the break room.

"No. You know about Colby's ex girlfriend from college?"

"Yeah, the one who wouldn't marry him, Mike or something like that right?" Don asked. He knew about the woman, Colby had shared the story with him after he had found out about Kim. The two had commiserated about their lousy love lives, and then drowned their sorrows in a case and a half of MGD.

"Sam, her name is Sam, and David got to meet her and her daughter today."

"She's in town?" Don said as he poured a cup of coffee, him eyebrows raised.

"She's replacing Robin." David said matter of factly.

"Shit. So that is why Colby is so aloof." Don said as he stared out the glass wall at Colby's hunched back, knowing that this woman's return was likely the cause.

David nodded and then spoke, "yeah. She gave him her number, wants to catch up."

"Her husband won't mind?" Don asked, already suspecting the answer.

"She's not married. The little girl is about nine years old. Colby told me once that they were together the last night before he entered basic, about ten years ago."

Standing next to Don, Megan peered out at Colby, her mind working, setting up a profile for his emotional state. She shook her head and spoke, "Adjusting for pregnancy, you said the little girl is nine? Add to it the fact that she looks deceptively like Colby. Damn, that would make it possible."

Don snorted and shook his head, "you don't actually think that Colby is a father? I mean who has a baby and doesn't tell the father."

"A stone cold woman," David said with disapproval. Sam had seemed nice, but anyone who could do that to his best friend, couldn't be that nice.

"Hey, gentlemen let's reserve judgment. She was young, probably scared, and had just put someone she loved, loved enough not to ruin his dream of the army by marrying him, on a bus to basic training. She probably thought she was doing the right thing. She has probably regretted it every day of her life." Megan said and then turned towards the coffee pot, filling a second cup with plain coffee.

"Even so, not telling a man he is a father, now that is just cold." David said with a shake of his head.

"The question is, what are we going to do about it?" Don asked concerned for his team. Colby was a good friend and a good agent. He didn't want to see some woman mess him up.

Megan took both cups of coffee in her hand and then pushed open the break room door, speaking as she went, "I'm going to go talk to him."

Don and David both stared out the window watching her close the distance between the break room and the bullpen.

* * *

Colby didn't see Megan approaching him. He was intently looking at the picture of him and Sam taken during the tailgate before homecoming their senior year of college. He had his arms wrapped around her, she was leaning into him, both grinning at the camera like fools. Running his finger over her face in the picture, he felt sadness fill him as the memories of his last night at home floated to the surface of his mind.

"_Sam be reasonable." Colby said as he finally got off his knee. Snapping the lid to the blue velvet box shut he began to pace as she spoke. _

"_I am being reasonable, Colby James. I can't marry you. You are leaving for the army tomorrow. Don't ruin our last night together."_

"_I'm not, you are. Sam, just say yes, and I won't leave. I'll tell the army to forget it." Wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close to him, he looked down into her face, "I'll stay right here, hold you in my arms forever."_

_Sam offered him a watery smile. She had held back the tears until now, but it was no use. She knew what she had to do, but it was breaking her heart. It was foolish to talk marriage. They were too young, they both had dreams they wanted to pursue. And no matter how much she loved him she couldn't ask him to give up that dream. "Don't do this CJ. I love you, I always have, I always will. But I can't ask you to give up your dream of an army career. And I can't give up my dream of being a lawyer to follow you from base to base. We would both resent each other. So just be here, be with me, just for tonight."_

_Colby sighed and put the engagement ring back into his pocket. She was right, he knew it, he could see the logic in her argument. But he also knew that he would never love another woman like he loved her. Kissing her with all of the passion he felt, that he had felt. He could scarcely believe that he had loved her since they were sixteen, swaying awkwardly to a song at the homecoming dance. Now he was loosing her to career aspirations. It seemed that life was decidedly unfair._

_As she pulled away, Sam looked longingly into his eyes, and he knew that her heart was breaking as much as his was. _

"_Colby, take me to bed. Let me remember what it is like to be loved by you, to be held by you."_

_Colby didn't speak he just kissed her, a searing kiss, that would imprint the feeling of her lips on his for an eternity. Clothes were shed along with tears as the two fell together a jumble of legs, and arms, and kisses. It was sweet and harsh, loving and rough; a celebration of love and a sad farewell, the night was a contradiction just like their relationship always had been. After they were both spent, she lay in his arms, silent tears falling. He pressed a kiss to her shoulder, and held her as she fell asleep tears staining her cheek. As he listened to her even breathing, he pressed a kiss to her forehead and whispered, "I love you Sam, never forget that." _

Megan heard Colby whisper, "I love you Sam," as she approached and she hesitated. It was clear that he was wrapped in some sort of memory. But she placed a shaky hand on his shoulder and handed him the cup of coffee.

Colby cursed inwardly as he turned at the touch and saw Megan standing there. He placed the picture on his desk, and then sipped the coffee. He inclined his head towards the break room where he knew Don and David were watching and spoke, "they send you out here to profile me? Because if they did I am just fine, no help needed."

Megan sat on the edge of her desk and sipped her coffee, her gaze never leaving him. Then she spoke, her voice soft as it always was when dealing with emotionally distressed people, "no. I am here because I wanted to see how you are. David mentioned that you ran into Sam today. I know that must have been a shock to the system."

Colby bit out a harsh laugh, "oh yeah. What would you know about it Reeves. You've got your perfect fairytale going with Fleinhardt."

Megan shot his a scowl and then spoke, her voice harsh. "Hey, Granger, I was concerned about you. I am trying to be a friend here. If you want to be an ass, I'll send Don out here. Maybe you two can take a swing at each other."

Colby sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose; he placed a friendly hand on her knee as he spoke, "Sorry Megan. You are right, seeing Sam shook me a little. Brought back a few memories, and a whole lot of questions."

"Yeah, like what?" Megan asked as she stirred her coffee with the stirrer she always left in the cup. She knew what he was talking about, but she wanted to see what he would say, see how his mind was processing the events.

He was vaguely aware that he was being profiled. He knew that she was watching him, making assumptions about him, but he really didn't care. "David told you she has a daughter." He looked to her for confirmation and when he saw her nod, he continued. "Thing is, she doesn't look a damn thing like Sam. Even stranger, she kind of looks like me." Colby smiled as the little girl he had met earlier that day popped into his mind. "She is the cutest thing you ever saw, Meg. She has sandy blond curly hair, these huge brown eyes, and the square jaw, but not to sever, you know?"

Megan nodded and became slightly worried. He was gushing over the girl like she was his. Part of her hopes that she was, knowing that if she isn't he will be devastated. The other part knew that even if she is his daughter, he would be devastated that Sam had never told him. It was looking like a lose, lose situation.

Colby spoke again, needing to fill the silence. "Part of me thinks it's impossible. There is no way Sam would have had my daughter and never told me. The other part thinks that it is so possible. I mean we were together, you know together, the night before I left for basic training. That was nearly ten years ago, the math is almost perfect. And you know what Charlie would say about that chance that it is just a coincidence."

Megan nodded, it was pretty much the same thing she would say about the chances of it being coincidence. She placed her hand on top of his, which was still resting on her knee, and spoke "So what are you going to do about it?"

"What the hell am I supposed to do? I don't have a whole lot of options Megan."

She rolled her eyes at him and looked up and whispered, "men." Then she squeezed his hand, "she gave you her number. That means that she want to see you, possibly reconnect. It also probably means that she still has feelings for you. She never married, which is a good sign."

"Hey, stop profiling my ex girl friend." Colby said with a laugh.

Shaking her head, Megan swatted his arm as she slipped from his desk and stood next to him, "Give her a call you idiot." She then placed a kiss on his cheek and headed off towards her desk.

Colby fished Sam's business card out of his pocket and then dialed the number she had scratched on the back. Not surprisingly he got her voice mail. He swallowed nervously as he waited for the beep unsure if he should leave a message or just hang up. Glancing at the picture on his desk, he heard the beep and spoke, "Sam it's me, Colby. I was wondering if you would like to get dinner some time soon. Beer and burgers, like the old days. Well, give me a call, 323-566-9898, bye." He hung up the phone and raked his fingers through his hair, deciding that he was in serious need of some unwinding. He stood, grabbed his jacket, and went to find David to see if he was interested in sitting on the tailgate of a truck and drinking beer.

* * *

**A/N**- Please review and let me know your thoughts. Also, if you feel that this better belongs in a different rating category, let me know, I am not trying to offend anyone. Thanks! 


	2. The Big Reveal

**A/N- **I wanted to say thanks to the people who reviwed, it was a great motivation for me to keep going with this. I also want to say that the previous disclaimers still stand. Also I am still unbeta'd so I all mistakes are mine and I ask that you not flame me for them, I am a sleep deprived college senior, and I churned this out when I should be working on my finals so, please please show me some love and reivew. Anyway, enjoy the chapter.

* * *

"Don Eppes?"

Don looked up from the file he was reading as he heard a feminine voice speaking his name. He noticed the young woman, with a guest badge, looking expectantly at him. He nodded, put the file down and stood as he spoke, "Yeah."

"I'm Sam Talbot, the new AUSA, you called me." Sam said as she extended her hand to him.

"Nice to meet you. I wasn't expecting you yet." Don said conversationally as he shook her outstretched hand.

"Well I got in early this morning and I wanted to get down to business. Do you have a suspect in custody?"

Don stared at her somewhat incredulously. _Why the hell would I have called you if I didn't? _He thought to himself. Although in fairness when David and Colby had interviewed her the day before they didn't even know who the guy was. They had reached a lucky break in the case early that morning, catching the guy at the other school Charlie had isolated when he arrived that morning to clean. He was a janitor, giving him easy access to select and then target victims. As Don reviewed the facts of the case in his mind, he realized that according to David this woman was the one who had shook Colby so far off his game.

Sam watched as his stare changed to a glare, and she knew that he knew about her and Colby. She felt the icy brunt of Don Eppes' anger when he spoke again.

"Yeah, he's in interrogation. I wouldn't have called you if we didn't have something. Follow me."

The statement wasn't rude, it wasn't a challenge, but it was gruff and abrupt. Sam knew then and there that Don knew about her past with Colby, or at least one side of the story in that complicated past. She also knew that he, and probably the rest of his team, thought of her as the villain. Yet for the life of her she didn't know what to do about it. Frustration rose in her as she followed Don towards the interrogation room.

Megan stared predatorily at the woman who entered with Don. She recognized her right away from the picture that was now sitting next to Colby's computer.

"Sam Talbot, Special Agent Megan Reeves." Don said by way of introduction and then turned up the microphone on the two-way mirror.

Sam was ready to extend her hand to Megan until she noticed the ice in the other woman's eyes. Her stomach flopped, she was really frustrated, she had hoped that the one woman on the team would be at least a little understanding. Shaking off her personal problems she focused on work, watching and listening intently as David and Colby pressured the suspect.

Forty-five minutes later, they were all gathered in the conference room. Sam sighed as she stood in the front of the room and looked into two angry faces, one resentful one, and one single friendly face. She smiled warmly at Colby, silently thanking him for still being friendly despite their past. Gathering her courage, she turned towards Don and spoke, "I've talked with the US Attorney, and he wanted me to thank you. We finally have enough to prosecute, and he is confident that our office will get a conviction."

"Good to hear. If your office needs anything else, please let us know." Don said in a curt voice, maintaining a professional relationship.

"No problem. It was nice to meet you all, but I need to get back to my office and start processing the paperwork for the case." Sam said as she smiled and fumbled in her pocket, her fingers grazing the envelope that was there. Pulling the envelope from her pocket, she slipped it to Colby as she walked out the door.

* * *

Don, Megan, and David exchanged glances as Colby gingerly picked up the small purple envelope.

Standing he wordlessly took the note and walked out of the room. With a smug smile in the direction of his friends in the conference room, knowing they were all dying to know what it said, he slipped a finger into the edge of the envelope. His smile broadened as he recognized the perfectly crafted and elegant cursive.

_CJ,_

_Sorry I never called you back last night. By the time I finally wrestled Colleen away from Nick's place it was too late. Dinner sounds great. How about tonight, 6:30, at Finnegan's? Nick tells me it is this great little pub near the FBI building. See you then. _

_Love, _

_Sam_

He smiled like a fool at the card he held in his hand. Flipping it over to the back, he couldn't help but chuckle. He had guessed the card was a Nick Talbot creation the minute he had seen the little white raised paper daisies in one corner and a little glittery butterfly in the other. So when he had flipped the card over to the back and seen a stamp bearing the initials NTM he had to chuckle. It was the most sedated piece he had ever seen her create.

Before he had a chance to hide the card, Colby felt a hand on his shoulder and when he heard Don speaking, he knew the senior agent was trying to read over his shoulders. He slipped the card quickly into the pocket of his suit jacket and tried to hide his smirk as he listened to Don.

"Everything okay Colby?"

Colby nodded, slightly touched by his friend's concern. "Yeah. Listen Don, I'm going to need to head out a little early tonight." Turning to shoot a smirk at Don he added, "I've got a date."

Don was unsure what to say and he glanced at Megan, before he nodded and spoke, "Sure. Whenever is fine, just try to get that report finished and on my desk before you go."

Colby nodded and then plopped into his desk chair, ready to get started on his paper work, yet his mind was on Sam.

* * *

Sam checked her watch nervously, noting that it was only 6:45, she would give him ten more minutes and then she would know that he wasn't coming. She reached for her beer, cursing inwardly when she noticed her hand shaking. She was nervous, extremely nervous, and Nick's words echoed in her mind.

_Just tell him the truth, Sammy. Take him some place he is comfortable and then tell him the truth, its all you can do_.

Sighing, Sam set her beer on the table and allowed the other hand to rest on the file box that was sitting in the booth next to her. She prayed that her sister was right, she was unsure if this was the right thing to do, but she owed it to Colby to tell him the truth. Shaking the thought from her mind, she took another swig from her beer. She swallowed quickly and then smiled broadly, as she saw him come in the door. He offered her a silly little wave as he approached. A felling of desire and heat flittered through her as she noticed that he had changed into what looked like his spear set of work clothes, probably worn on missions in the field. He was wearing a fitted pair of well-worn light washed jeans and a black t-shirt that fit snuggly over his arm muscles, skimming down to highlight a well-defined chest.

Colby felt like an ass. He hadn't meant to be late, but at a quarter to six they had gotten a case dealing with stolen art and he had lost track of time. Don had finally sent him out the door at 6:30 making him about fifteen minutes late. He offered her a bright smile as she slipped out of her side of the booth and opened her arms to give him a hug as he approached the table. Taking her into his arms, he reveled in the felling of her being there. She still fit perfectly, like she always had, into his arms. It was like two puzzle pieces connecting when she was there, or so he had always thought. Pulling away, he placed a kiss on her cheek and watched her blush. Colby slid into the booth and was surprised to find a waitress standing at the table. He gave her his order and as Sam gave her order, he took the opportunity to watch her intently. She had changed into a pair of jean capri's and an olive green off the shoulders sweater. Colby figured the sweater must be popular this season, because he had seen Amita wearing a cream one recently.

Sam finished giving her order to the waitress, then turned towards Colby and spoke, "I was afraid that you weren't coming, that maybe you had other plans."

Colby heard the vulnerability in her voice and cursed himself for having put it there. He flexed his hands, trying to plot out what to say in his head, before he spoke. "I'm sorry I was late. We got a new case at the last minute and I was almost sucked in before Don shooed me out."

Sam offered a rueful smile, "I guess I should be grateful for at least that much."

Colby quirked an eyebrow at her, "what's that supposed to mean?"

As she was about to answer the waitress brought Colby's beer, and Sam's second. She nodded her thanks to the server before taking a swig of her new beer, cursing herself for not thinking before she spoke. "I get the distinct impression that your boss and coworkers don't care much for me."

Colby nodded, but didn't know what to say in response to that. He knew it was true, that they were all suspicious of her because of Colleen. Truth be told, he was as well, but he didn't want to tip the hand that held those cards just yet. So he shrugged and then changed the subject, "I see some things never change, you are still a beer a head of me."

Sam laughed and picked up her longneck. Raising it to his she proposed a toast, "to the past, and maybe recapturing it a little."

Colby mumbled a "cheers" and clinked his bottle to hers. After they both had swallowed he asked, "so how the hell did you go from Winchester, Idaho to here?"

Smirking a little, she settled into the booth, and then started to weave her story. "Well, you know that I had been accepted to Georgetown's law school. So I left Idaho for DC. I had Colleen halfway through my first year."

Colby interrupted her, "how did you do it? I mean how did you get a law degree and care for a baby?"

Sam nodded, and took another drink of her beer. Those were bleak days that she didn't like to look back on. It had been a struggle; she and Colleen had barely made it through. She laid one arm on the table resting her head in the palm of her other hand as she spoke, "I had her in January, just before the second semester started, so I dropped to part time status. I got a job as a secretary in a big DC law firm. I worked during the day and I took classes at night. It was rough when Lena was still little baby. But I had Nick helping me. She was out there working the art scene, doing museum work, before she decided she wanted to teach. It was a God send she would be at home with the baby, who she nicknamed Lena, while I was at school. I couldn't have done it with out her help."

Colby nodded. He could only imagine how she had struggled, how lonely she must have felt in a new city. While he was thinking of something to say the waitress brought their food, and silence prevailed for a few minutes as they began to eat.

"So Colby James, tell what were you up to all these years. Anyone serious I should know about?"

Colby laughed at that. _Like anyone could replace you_. He left the thought in his head, not daring to say it aloud. He bit into a french fry and then swallowed before he spoke, "Well I did my basic training at Fort Sills in Oklahoma. I was an MP for several years, and that took me to Germany. So I finally got to use those seven years of German I took. Then it was Saudi Arabia. Then I did CID training and that took me to Afghanistan. Well I guess you heard about the explosion from my mom."

Sam nodded with a grimace. She had heard that he nearly died and was leaving the army. She had been so sad and happy at the same time. Happy that he would be out of harms way, sad that the career he had wanted nearly all of his adult life was suddenly gone in an instant. She looked down at the contents of her basket and pushed it towards him, offering him her fries and coleslaw. He took them and continued on with his story.

"So I figured that since I had the military and law enforcement training, I might as well use it domestically. I entered the FBI academy and as soon as I graduated I was assigned to the LA field office." He picked up his beer and took a swallow, killing it. But the waitress who had been hovering over the table was there in a flash to ask if they wanted another round. Colby and Sam both ordered another beer.

Colby was the first to speak again, "I had actually heard that you were in the Virginia area when I was at Quantico, but by the time I had rooted out a phone number for you, you had moved."

Sam nodded, "I know. I moved not long after dad died, it would have been about the time you were entering the academy. I got the job as the AUSA for the northern district of Virginia, which was where I was before I took the job here."

"I was sorry to hear about your dad. I had wanted to come to the funeral, but I was still in the hospital. Mom told me about it when I went home to see her. I think I had just missed you by a couple of days." Colby's voice was apologetic and regretful as he said the last sentence. He had been devastated to learn that he had come so close to seeing her again. As almost an after thought he added, "it must have been hard for you, loosing your dad."

Sam's heart sunk and she thought to herself, _great now we are really going to have to get into it._ She was never so glad to see a server, as she was when the waitress brought their next round. She grabbed the bottle and took a large swallow, before speaking. "It wasn't as hard as you would imagine and it was nothing like loosing mom in high school. Dad and I actually weren't talking these last few years."

"Oh, really?" Colby said, interest piqued.

Sam shook her head ruefully, "No. He never forgave me for not marrying you when you asked me that night. Then when I turned up pregnant that first Christmas after I had been away, well let's just say he wasn't so full of the holiday cheer. Dad kicked me out of the house, said I wasn't supposed to come back until I married the father of my bastard child." Sam stared at the bottle in her hands, and picked at the label as the sounds of that shouting match played over and over in her head. Shaking the thoughts away she continued, "needless to say Mike and Andy took dad's side. I haven't seen them in years. We some how miraculously managed to avoid them at the funeral. No one in my family outside of Nick has even met Colleen."

Colby's grip tightened on his beer bottle and he felt the anger rise in him. _What gave Frank Talbot the right to treat his daughter like that? _It was the one thought that ran away in his mind. He spoke finally, anger making his voice tight, "Michaela and Andrea always were stupid bitches, always doing everything your father told them, I don't think that they ever had an original thought."

That made Sam laugh and she took his hand in hers, since both were laying across the table. She took a moment to revel in the feel of it. His large callused hand molded perfectly to her soft small one. She finally spoke, her voice serious, "Nick would agree hole heartedly. I don't think she will ever forgive our sisters or dad for how he treated me. I made my peace with it, dad and I both said things we shouldn't have that night. I think he was most angry at me because I never would tell him who the father was."

Colby tried to bite his tongue, but was unsuccessful, "Sam, who is Colleen's father?"

_This is it. Sam game on, just tell him the truth_. Sam sighed and gathered her courage, "you are."

She waited for the explosion, waited for the anger, waited for any sort of reaction. Yet none came. Colby just sat there dumbfounded. He was shocked, he knew it was a possibility, he had even suspected it, but to hear it confirmed, it was all too much. When he finally found his voice, all he could manage was one horse word, "why?"

"Why didn't I tell you?" Sam asked needing to be sure that was what he was asking. She had spent ten years perfecting the answer to that question. When he nodded in answer, she spoke, "It was the same reason I didn't marry you. I loved you too much to do that to you. As long as I could remember, you wanted a military career. I knew that if I told you, you'd do something stupid like come home."

Colby interrupted, his voice full of fury, but pitched the same so as not to attract attention, "You should have given me the chance to make that decision." He forcefully jerked his hand out of hers and ran it through his short hair before he continued, "it was selfish of you Sam. She is my little girl too, and now she is nine years old and doesn't even know her father."

Sam tried to keep tears from her eyes. She had known he would react this way, but it was tearing her apart to see him in such pain. She shook her head violently at the charge that Colleen didn't know about her father, and spoke with clear confident words despite the internal meltdown she was wrestling with. "That's not true, Colby. That was why I had to silence her yesterday when you met. She was about to say that you were her father. I never could lie to her about you, I showed her pictures, and told her about you from the time she was a little girl. She knew that you couldn't be there then, but that one day you would be. Colby you are listed as her father on the birth certificate, I gave her your last name."

He was blown away. For nine years he had shared his last name and never even known it. "I want to know my daughter. You already cheated me out of the first nine years of her life, I want a relationship with her now." He let a mirthless laugh escape his lips as he thought of what Don, David and Megan would think of the situation. "You know David thought that she was mine after he saw her yesterday, she looks like me. That's why Don and Megan don't like you."

She nodded, "I know Colby. I had guessed that, I was afraid you would ask me about it when you met her. Colleen has always been the spitting image of you. It was hard at first to face that every day, I missed you so much, and I had this little reminder of you."

Colby felt the anger flood him, anger that he had missed so much of Colleen's life, anger led him to speak "it was a mistake."

Sam's anger flared at the words, her voice turned ferocious and angry, "One thing you better learn if you are going to be a part of my daughters life is that she is not now nor has she ever been a mistake. Not marrying you, not telling you about Colleen, having a baby unwed at twenty, those Colby James Granger are mistakes, but Colleen has never, ever been a mistake." Her shoulders slumped with the words, and she swiped at tears that were falling.

Colby gripped the beer bottle so hard, that he was surprised it didn't shatter in his hands as he spoke, "that wasn't what I meant. Aren't you at least sorry for keeping me from knowing my daughter, not letting me see her grow up?"

Sam looked at him through tear stained eyes and spoke, holding the box she had carried in with her in her lap. "Of course I am. It was a mistake, but if it meant that you at least had a chance at being happy with an army career I would do it again."

"Damn it Sam you and Colleen are more important to me than being in the army."

"I know that now. I was young and I was stupid Colby. Mostly I was scared and confused. I did what I thought was right." She lifted the box to the table and slid it across the smooth tabletop. Colby stopped the box with his hand, giving her a puzzled look. She spoke before he could ask her about it, "I know its not the same, but that is everything I have from Colleen's childhood, from her birth certificate, to her first curl, to her first pair of shoes, to her first report card. I've been anticipating this day for years, I wanted you to have something to show you what Colleen's life has been like until you could be part of it. Look at it Colby, and think about it. Call me tomorrow if you want to see your daughter. For now I'm going to go, let you process all of this."

Colby looked at her like she was crazy. _Process this, she wants me to freaking process this? How the hell do I do that_? But just as quickly as she had sprung this on him, she was standing and putting money on the table to cover the check. Then she was gone. Colby stared at the box in front of him. He was so unsure what to do next, he did the only thing that came to mind, standing he took out his key and then picked the box up, resolved to drive over to the Eppes' house. If anyone would know what he should do, it would be Alan Eppes.

* * *

Don, Charlie, and Alan Eppes were in the living room of the Craftsman house arguing over a baseball game and drinking beer when the doorbell rang. Don and Charlie just looked at each other, each daring the other to get up and answer the door. Alan finally, with great grumbling, moved to answer the door.

_Good God, he looks like hell, _was the only thought that Alan had as he opened the door to reveal a sorrowful and exhausted looking Colby Granger. He was also curious about the box that the young man held. As he saw Colby's sad eyes bore into him he found his voice, "Colby, son, come on in. Is everything okay?"

Don heard Colby's name and suddenly his attention shifted from the game to his junior agent as he came into the living room, slumping on the couch, setting the box by his feet. Charlie recognizing the look in Colby, moved towards the kitchen returning with a beer, which he handed to him.

Colby gratefully took the beer that Charlie had offered him and momentarily wondered why his first response had been to come here. He didn't have time to ponder that as he felt three sets of eyes staring at him. He drank half of the beer in his hand in one long draught. The emotion that he had been holding back poured out of him and his voice cracked when he spoke, "She's my daughter. Sam's little girl is my daughter, and she just now decided to tell me that I've been a father for nine years."

Don shot his father a look that so clearly shouted, "help!" Alan just shrugged his shoulders and then sat in the chair near the couch. "Colby, what's in the box?"

Colby offered a bitter laugh and then drained the remaining half of his beer bottle, setting it on the table. "This is a childhood in a box if you can believe that. Sam wanted me to know my daughter, so she collected all of this stuff for me. I'm supposed to look through it and then decide if I want to have a relationship with my daughter."

Charlie looked a little dumbfounded and exchanged looks with Don. The two brothers were so completely out of their realm of expertise. But they were glued to the scene like a train wreak, neither could look away, yet they were helpless to do anything.

Alan looked at his sons and knew he was on his own. He didn't mind helping Colby, he just wasn't sure what to do. He secretly wished that Margaret was still with them, he knew that she would know exactly what to do. Shaking that useless wish from his mind, he focused on Colby, "do you want a relationship with her?"

"Of course I do Alan." Colby said a little forcefully causing Don to shoot him a look. Colby recognized it and then realized what he was doing. Getting his emotions under control, he turned to Alan, who was now sitting on the couch next to him and apologized, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap. I was wondering if you would go through all of this with me, I just didn't want to be alone. And I figured if anyone could help me make sense of the stuff I don't understand, it would be you."

Alan simply nodded, and placed a comforting hand on Colby's shoulder, "No need to apologize, son. I had teenagers; they were a lot worse than that, trust me with a little girl you will understand soon enough."

Colby smiled at the thought, he had a little girl. That was what was important, all of the rest of it was just water under the bridge. With the first genuine smile he had had in hours, he looked at Alan and spoke. "Yeah, you are right. You will have to give me some parenting tips."

The four men spent the next two hours pouring over the contents of the box, making appropriate hey about the little girl they were all becoming fond of already. Colby had learned that she was bright like her mother, had already skipped two grades and would soon be ready to skip another. A fact witch delighted Charlie, who was already gearing up to tutor her in math whenever she may need it. Colby also discovered with pride that she was an avid sports fan. The picture of her in a little league uniform had nearly turned Don and Colby into puddles of goo, making Alan chuckle good-naturedly that they were both such softies. By the time they had come to the bottom of the box all four men felt as if they had knew the little girl who had com into their lives so unexpectedly since birth.

Colby accepted the invitation to sleep on the couch. And as he pulled his shoes off and then laid down he pulled his wallet out of his back pocket. Flipping it open, he stared for one last moment at the picture he had found in the box and then he slid it into his wallet in front of the picture of Sam that he still carried there. He ran his finger over the picture of Sam with her arms wrapped around an eight-year-old Colleen and then closed the wallet, placing it on the table. He fell asleep thinking about his daughter and the possibilities that the future held now that she and her mother were back in his life.


End file.
